Atlanta didn’t need to overhaul its defense, but the first (and maybe only) spot it needed to address was that front seven. The Falcons made two big additions to upgrade their defense. . . City. Poe’s one-year, $8 million deal is an excellent contract for a player who made the Pro Bowl twice during his rookie contract and is still just 26. . . It also helps that the Falcons used their first-round pick on UCLA edge rusher Takkarist McKinley, who should be part of a deep rotation at defensive end.

While he liked it they did on defense, Barnwell expressed some concern over how much Atlanta’s offensive line would miss Chris Chester. Also, he seems to believe the unit is unlikely to be as fortunate with injuries this year as in 2016.

Those issues are both worth mentioning, but the one area Barnwell did not address is the change at offensive coordinator. More than anything else, how Steve Sarkisian handles the transition will decide how well the Falcons do this coming season.